Women in the tribe; A short story. A Tribute to International Women’s Day.

The death of the fifteen tribesman in three days has slowly, then quickly, torn the clan asunder. As the remaining gathered to mourn, a dying flicker of the fire dances about and dies. This troubling reality has cast a shadow over the community,stripping away all hope and placing all expectations on the leaders. They knew things. The thickening plot remained only to the knowledge of the leaders, masquerading as a disease in the minds of the people; Truth was muddied over and over,covered,displaced and darkened by the increasingly desperate leadership. The fourth night came and the moon reluctantly rose to its place,helpless yet imposing, and guilty for inaction as machinations worked quickly and violently beneath. Down below, the clandestine operations resumed.

The people were disillusioned.Disenfranchised. Tribesman felt like they always got the shorter end while the leaders lived more than comfortably. Religious shamans led better lives too; The shackles of religion served well to enforce an ideology that glorified them. The thrones of the clan was a nice place to be, but to reach the upper echelon of a mind is true domination; By now, their control had already began to crumble. There was chaos in the familial setting too. Women broke out of their cookplaces, inevitably, and became fed up with being the one always confined to their restrictive duties. They would rebel when silenced, fight back when hit, strike back when objectified and put men in their place. The tribe’s hierarchy, a largely male hegemony, could not face a double pronged attack. Dissolve the crises; That was their plan. Fucking slimeballs.

Equs: “It was fucked up.”

Fresna: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Equs: “I struck a deal with them. They wanted me to kill 15 of them in three days, today was the big one…10 more”

Fresna: “Wai…Wait, what? Oh god, no, Eeq”

Equs: “I’m not going to kill you if that’s what you’re thinking. Dead men don’t talk, but that doesn’t mean dead women don’t”

Fresna: “Eeq, I…I don’t think I can laugh right now.”

Equs: “I’m being serious. And I’m telling you this because it’s not true. I haven’t killed anyone. They trust me so much, so they assume we’ve been their puppets. They had too much coming at them, it was their own stupid fault really, they went too far. The crises had two waves…general inequality and gender oppression. The leaders felt that having me assasinate the people and faking them as a malicious disease would kill two birds at the same time…it bands the family together in times of distress and subsequent ‘faked’ operations to ‘clear’ the evil would gain back the trust of the people. It was a four day thing, hit the people hard for a short time and implement changes quickly. Leadership plans to be more equal. But I’ve been playing them.”

Fresna: “….I….You…You’ve been playi…This is too much to handle right now.But what if they find out?”

Equs: “We put on an act just like they’ve been doing it the whole fucking time. They trust me too much and that’s their mistake. The 15 people have been hiding somewhere safe. We had to make it look like they died. I held the shamans and some small time shits who oversee the processions at knifepoint. They’ve been saying all the right things to the leaders, feeding them lies…keeping their guard down…projecting me as a sort of effective ruthless and mercenary killer. After its all done, those shamans would have to flee. So don’t worry.”

Fresna: “…*whimpering*…Is my husband all right?! I guess you’re good at what you do but dammit…screw those fuckers at the top”

Equs: “Nobody hurts my friends and treats us like bitches. This was a step too far. Good that they trust me so much. You know I told you my dad was a general previously? He died for the tribe…and I went away knowing he died for fucking evil. I went away to this other village where we ourselves initiated our own revolution…Horrific rapes, wife-beatings…I was still junior then, but this girl banded us together and we planned for months……and when we were ready, shit went down.”

Fresna: “Are you outta your mind?! I mean, it’s good what you’re doing but you’re gonna get killed. I should be saying thanks and I am grateful bu…”

Equs: “Fresna, I know about all of this, it’s you who told me everything. So thank you. We’ve been friends for a long time, your leaders haven’t even tracked the connection yet, and they figure I’m just a general’s girl. And there was a huge campaign to paint me as some sort of pay-for-hire assassin, just exclusive enough to remain unknown in public, but just enough to be known to your leaders. They figured I’m a daddy’s girl who would gain some twisted nostalgic loyal satisfaction. See? They’re so sexist, they didn’t even see the loopholes in their logic. Pigs. Anyway, after this job, I’m out.”

Fresna: “Eeq, I, I…I just saw you after a long time, this is all just too fast.”

Equs: “I’m moving somewhere with my sisterly band, we’ve got villages to help and more women to train. I’ll need to lay low for awhile after a hit like that. My face can’t be popping out too many times…I’ll just train some of the young ones so that they too can take up their own missions. Back to the plan, a few of your clansmen have knowledge of this so they’ll aid my sisterhood. We’ll strike the leadership at dinner. Yeah, they’re having a mini party thinkin they’ve won. But we’re strong, I mean look at us all muscled up, trained and clad in black. They’re lumbering around, fat and pot-bellied, and lured into their own false sense of fucking security…….And don’t worry, you’re husband and everyone else is safe. Just a few more hours.”

Fresna: ” Wow Eeq, I…” *Embraces Equs so hard they both fall to the ground* They both giggle.

Equs:”Hehee!……….You’re a good friend Fres. I’ll contact you soon after the coast is clear, you don’t need to say anything…just keep it to yourself right now. I’m off.”

As the last fire and mourn was cried out in the farming town, as the witch doctors acted their last charade and as the moon rose to see the damned village for the last time, somewhere at the same moment, a band of vigilantes changed lives forever.

I wanted to write something to dedicate to all the women out there, I’m no writer or anything and this is my first attempt at writing a short story, but happy belated women’s day to all the women here!!

Thanks John!! I’m so happy you mentioned that, it has been on my mind…maybe a passion project or a hobby thing. I love film so much and I really think I will be doing it someday. But that was really nice of you, you’ve given me extra motivation!!